Arrangements which allow an undemocratic, external institution to parachute into Parliament their own appointees who can only be from one section of the country, of one gender, and from one particular strand of one religion – are the kind of thing we might condemn as profoundly unjust and corrupt in other parts of the world. They are defended in the UK in the name of Christianity.

The House of Lords this month debates the Equality Bill, starting today (11 January 2010). The Accord Coalition has highlighted "very serious concerns" about the exemptions the Bill contains for faith schools.